Four Legged Shrink

t looks like a normal room:
stuffed sofa, a few chairs,
a coat rack with a cane, an
upright piano and a table.
But for psychologist Eli
Barlia, his office on Wood-
ward in Pleasant Ridge is
an "open field." After watch-
ing 7,000 dogs explore his
"open field," Dr. Barlia
knows what to expect.
Dr. Barlia is one of 25 certified
animal behaviorists in the Unit-
ed States. A native of Cuba and
a graduate of Oak Park High
School, Dr. Barlia was doing
graduate work in biopsychology
at Wayne State University when
a veterinarian friend asked him
to observe an aggressive four-
legged patient. Instead of work-
ing in a laboratory the rest of his

life, Dr. Barlia found a new busi-
ness.
His Animal Behavior Institute
is not for run-of-the-mill prob-
lems. He and his partner, Jim
Lessenberry, who is working on
his doctorate in psychology, op-
erate the Animal Learning Cen-
ter in Royal Oak for routine
obedience training, and a 40-acre
"farm" in Metamora for boarding
horses and animals that get more
serious therapies.
Patients that come to the in-
stitute are generally referred by
veterinarians. Most — 90 percent
— are dogs. Some 8 percent are
cats and 2 percent are horses. All
must have a complete physical
by the animal's veterinarian be-
fore the institute accepts a new
patient.

"If a dog has been a wonderful
pet for eight or nine years, and
all of a sudden he begins biting,"
Dr. Barlia says, "we want to make
sure it isn't being caused by hip

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

S

ome problems

can be caused

by owners who

are too attentive.

dysplasia, an abscessed tooth" or
some other physical problem.
Most cats are referred for in-
appropriate elimination or ag-

gression. Doggie problems can
include aggression, biting, chew-
ing, sneaking out, excessive fear,
shyness, panic disorders and
more.
Some problems can be caused
by owners who are too attentive.
If an animal is the center of at-
tention for a period of time and
then everyone in the home goes
off to work or school, a pet's be-
havior can change.
"If a dog learns he can keep a
bone by being aggressive, or if the
animal has been allowed for
weeks to sit in a chair and now
you tell it to move," Dr. Barlia
says, "then 'Grim!' — you have
a problem."
Many dog owners make a mis-
take by forgetting that their pet
has a job: the pet must pay at-

<

A Pleasant Ridge
psychologist deals
with animal
patients and their
human owners.

ALAN HITSKY ASSOCIATE EDITOR

LU

U_I

O

CC

UJ

I118

Dr. Eli Barlia
poses with a
client.

PHO TO BY BILL HA NSEN

D

LU

